Dentists Act 1984

27 Erasure or suspension of registration for crime or misconduct

(1) Where the Professional Conduct Committee are satisfied that a registered dentist (whether before or after registration)—

(a) has been convicted in the United Kingdom of a criminal offence or has been convicted elsewhere of an offence which, if committed in England and Wales, would constitute a criminal offence, or

(b) has been guilty of serious professional misconduct,

they may, if they think fit, determine that his name shall be erased from the register or that his registration in it shall be suspended for such period not exceeding twelve months as may be specified in their determination.

(2) It shall be the function of the Preliminary Proceedings Committee to decide whether the case of a person alleged to have been convicted as mentioned in subsection (1) above or to have been guilty of any such misconduct as is there mentioned ought to be referred to the Professional Conduct Committee to be dealt with by them in accordance with this section.

(3) If after the Preliminary Proceedings Committee have referred the case of any such person to the Professional Conduct Committee, but before the Professional Conduct Committee have opened their inquiry into the case, it appears to the Professional Conduct Committee that the question whether an inquiry should be held needs further consideration, they may refer the case back to the Preliminary Proceedings Committee for consideration of that question but, subject to that, it shall be the duty of the Professional Conduct Committee to hold an inquiry into any case referred to them under this section.

(4) Where the Professional Conduct Committee determine under this section that a person's name shall be erased from the register or that his registration shall be suspended, the registrar shall serve on him a notification of the determination and of his right to appeal against it under section 29 below.

(5) Where a dental authority in exercise of a power conferred by law strike the name of a person who is a registered dentist off a list of their graduates or licentiates in dentistry and notify to the Council the fact of the striking off—

(a) the registrar shall retain a record of that fact; and

(b) if the dental authority notify to the Council the findings of fact on which the decision to strike off the name was based, then for the purpose of any inquiry under this Act as to whether that person has been guilty of serious professional misconduct the findings may, if the body holding the inquiry think fit, be treated as conclusive of the facts found.